Sam Burns stays one stroke ahead at U.S. Open

OAKMONT, Pa. — Sam Burns saved par at the final hole after playing partner J.J. Spaun made bogey and earned a one-shot lead at the U.S. Open on Saturday at Oakmont Country Club.
Burns carded a 1-under-par 69 to climb to 4 under for the week, one better than Spaun (69) and Australia’s Adam Scott, who made a late charge to shoot 67. Norway’s Viktor Hovland (70) is three off the pace at 1 under.
Burns, Spaun and Hovland are all vying for their first major championship.
Carlos Ortiz, vying to become the first Mexican man to win a major, was bogey-free until a mis-read of his par save at No. 18. He still posted a 67, tied with Scott for the low round of the day, and sits fifth at even par.
Ortiz’s fellow LIV Golf member Tyrrell Hatton of England shot 68 and is tied for sixth at 1 over with South African Thriston Lawrence (70).
Oakmont received a dousing of rain overnight and another quick and heavy shower early in the leaders’ round, adding to a historically rainy past month in the Pittsburgh area. The course played somewhat softer and easier as a result, with a scoring average of 72.6, more than two shots lower than Friday.
Both Burns and Spaun landed their drives at the par-4 18th in the right rough, but Spaun’s next shot found a greenside bunker and Burns flew his to the back part of the green. Spaun couldn’t convert the up-and-down, while Burns managed a two-putt to remain at 4 under.
Scott was even par through two and a half rounds before he hit a stellar series of shots on Saturday’s back nine. He stuck his tee shot at No. 13 inside 5 feet, then made it back-to-back birdies by spinning his approach at No. 14 within inches of the cup.
After nearly holing out of the sand for birdie at No. 15, Scott drove it into the bunker at the short par-4 17th and splashed out to about 14 feet. He made the ensuing birdie shot, while just behind him, Burns bogeyed No. 16 — creating a three-way lead at 3 under.
But Burns and Spaun followed with birdies of their own at No. 17. For Spaun, it ended a stretch of 12 consecutive pars.